Centralidade e configuração urbana no processo de formação e desenvolvimento da área central de Santa Cruz do Sul/RS (1922-2010).

Abstract

This dissertation aims enlightening issues about the development of the city of Santa Cruz do Sul, a polarizing center of most commercial, industrial and cultural activities of the region called Vale do Rio Pardo located in the southern region of Brazil (RS). The city has a major role of importance inside the region where it’s inserted since his foundation in the mid of the nineteenth century. The present work is based over a case study, outlining the primary urban development place of the city, his traditional center; this composition defines a specific area of study, which holds rich urban permanencies from the past centuries (nineteenth and twentieth centuries), a high concentration of soil and lots occupation and offers a variety of uses and provision of central services. We seek to understand how the central area of Santa Cruz do Sul absorved the strategies of urban planning at different times of his evolution, revealing in his morphology the marks left by these processes that currently define the constitution of his centrality. Specifically, is analyzed the role of the traditional central area in its regional context from the structural transformation on the city occurred between the period of 1922 and 2010. In the last four decades there has been an intensification of land use in particular by the expansion and diversification of central services, a verticalization, mainly related to residential buildings and the increase of public space usage, creating a strong social integration and urban mobility. One major consequence of these changes is seen in conflicts linked to historical heritage areas and memory of the city, due to real estate dynamics focused in this area. According to the considerations about the proposed urbanization of the central area of Santa Cruz do Sul and political, social and economic happenings of the twentieth century wich provided such transformation, is asked, how this area absorbed the strategies of urban planning in his occupation and what marks where left by these processes that currently define the constitution of his centrality.